Apparatus for coating wire



Feb. 2 1933.

APPARATUS FOR COATING WIRE Filed March 14, 19:52

2 Sheets-Sheet l lvwentor:

WQLFEED F7. l kqLLsT w. A. WALLSTEN i 7 1,899,449

Feb. 28, 1933.

w. A. WALLSTEN 1,399,449

nmu'rus FOR COATING WIRE Filed March 14, 19:52 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IQwQniOT: WQLFEED 4 W LL-5'TEN, M

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Patented Feb. 28, 1933 ED: STATES WALFBED A. WALLSTEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PATENT OFFICE.

AMERICAN STEEL ANDWIRE COMPANY OFNEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY APPARATUS roR COATING WIRE Application filed March i4,-19a2. Serial No. 598,795.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for electroplating wire, one of the objects being to produce a wire having a smooth shiny electroplated coating unobscured by a deposit of the electrolyte used. Another object is to prevent the electrolyte being carried away by the wire being plated. Other objects will be understood from the following disclosure.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a specific example of the apparatus embodied by the present invention:

Figure 1 is a top plan. 7

Figure. 2 is a cross-section from the line II-II in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail from Figure 2. 1 v

Figure 4 is a cross-section from the line IVIV in Figure 3.

This a paratus is particularly intended for use in the continuous coating of wire, the wire 1 being continuously passed through a bath of plating electrolyte 2 and from there to a rinsing tank 3. In this process difliculty is. experienced because the wire .CBII'IBS a clingin film of the electrolyte into the rinsing tan This contaminates the rinsing fluid with the electrolyte, the fluid attaining a sufficient'concentration ofthe electrolyte to leave a de osit of it on the finally rinsed wire, whic spoils its commercial marketability.- For instance, if the electrolyte solution consists of zinc sulfatethe wire may'leave the rinsing tank in a brightly plated condition, but, because of the latters contamination by this sulfate, will acquire a white deposit upon drying.

The apparatus intended to prevent this consists of a header 4 positioned to one side of the electrolyte bath 2 andhaving a pair of tapering conduits 5 and 6 projecting thereover. These conduits are providedwithslots 7 which are directed oppositely to the travelling direction of the-wire. In the particular example shown these slots consist of tangential prolongations 8 of the walls of the conduits 5 and 6 which are opposed by longitudinal projections 9. These projections are beingjejccted from the conduits 5 and 6 in sheet form and impinging against the wire. The parts 8 and 9 are practically a pair of lips which serve to properly directthe air.

The excess fluid clinging to the wire is thereby blown ofl of it and back into the bath of electrolyte instead of being wasted and becoming a nuisance by contaminating the rinslng bath.

'Although a specific form of this invention has been shown and described in accordance with the patent statutes, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention exactly thereto, except as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

An apparatus for coating wire including baths of coating and rinsing fluids,'a header arranged to one side of said coating bath, a pair of spaced conduits extending across said coating bath, means for guiding the wire a from said coating bath between said conduits and to said rinsing bath, slots in said conduits directed towards the path of travel of said wire, lips extending outwardly along said conduits'at each ofthe edges of said slots, means for varying the distances between said lips and means for supplying said header with compressed air. I

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

' WALFRED A. WALLSTEN. 

